Job Description: Art Director

Published 12/05/2015

Advertising art directors are responsible for what advertisements look like. They are involved in creating a campaign that has an instant, positive impact on the consumer in order to promote the product or brand being advertised. They can be involved in all of the different forms of advertising, including advertising on television and radio, the internet, posters and direct mailings.

Job Description, Salaries and Benefits

Art directors are responsible for what advertisements look like. They are involved in creating a campaign that has an instant, positive impact on the consumer in order to promote the product or brand being advertised.

An art director's tasks and duties may include:

working from a brief with a copywriter, generating ideas to present to the client

working on designs to produce an effective advertising campaign

commissioning specialists, such as artists and photographers, to work on projects

managing projects and working within a budget

editing the final results for presentation to the client.

Advertising art directors normally work between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. However, extra hours are often required so they must be flexible. They spend most of their time working indoors, in offices or studios, although travel to meet clients is also likely. Dress code expectations vary between agencies, but are often quite informal.

Salaries may range from around £18,000 to £25,000 a year for new advertising art directors, to between £45,000 to £120,000 for successful art directors in leading agencies.

An advertising art director should:

be highly creative

have a thorough understanding of photography, typography and printing

have excellent interpersonal and communication skills

work well as part of a team, with a range of people

have an interest in social and cultural trends and fashions.

Most art directors work for advertising agencies, although some are freelance. There are just over 1,000 agencies in the UK (Feb 2008), of which more than half are based in London. Other centres for advertising include Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester.

There are no set qualifications to become an advertising art director, but entrants usually have a degree. Art and design degree courses are available at universities and art colleges throughout the UK. Many students first take a foundation course in art and design. They are usually expected to have a portfolio of their art and design work.

Training is normally in-house, under the supervision of more experienced colleagues. Some agencies may require entrants to take the IPA foundation certificate, which is designed to give an overview of advertising and the specific roles within the industry.

Movement between agencies is common. Experienced art directors may choose to specialise in one area of advertising. It is possible to progress to senior art director or creative director, while some art directors set up their own agencies. Others decide to use their skills in other creative fields, such as design or film production.

What is the work like?

Typically, tasks and duties may include:

working from a brief with a copywriter or other members of a creative team, generating ideas to present to the client

working on designs in order to produce an effective advertising campaign

commissioning specialists, such as artists and photographers, to work on projects

managing projects, on and off location

working within a budget

editing the final results for presentation to the client.

Most art directors work under the supervision of a creative director, and usually work on a project from its earliest stages through to the launch. They are likely to work on several projects at once, and the work is fast paced and demanding.

Art directors work very closely with a creative copywriter. They are often employed together, as a team.

Hours and Environment

Advertising art directors normally work between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. However, extra hours are often required so they must be flexible and prepared to work evenings and weekends.

Art directors spend most of their time working indoors, in offices or studios. They also travel to meet clients and visit television studios or other locations where advertisements are being filmed. Working on location may involve staying away from home for short periods.

Dress code expectations vary between agencies, but are often quite informal.

Salary and other benefits

These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and where people live.
New entrants may earn between £18,000 and £25,000 a year.
Experienced art directors may earn £45,000 to £60,000 a year.
Successful art directors in leading agencies may earn over £120,000 a year.
Pay is often higher in London agencies than elsewhere.

Skills and personal qualities

An advertising art director should:

be highly creative

have a thorough understanding of photography, typography and printing techniques

Interests

It is important to have an interest in:

social and cultural trends and fashions

advertising as a business

developments in the media.

Getting in

Most art directors work for advertising agencies, although some are freelance. There are just over 1,000 agencies in the UK, of which more than half are based in London. Other centres for advertising include Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester. Well-regarded art directors are always in demand, but advertising is an extremely competitive industry to break into.

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has a scheme allowing students to post CVs on the company's website between June and September each year. The IPA's graduate recruitment agency factfile lists member agencies with structured recruitment programmes, and is an excellent starting point for those wishing to make a speculative approach to agencies.

Entry for young people

There are no set qualifications to become an advertising art director, but entrants usually have a degree.
Art and design degree courses are widely available at universities and art colleges throughout the UK. In England, Northern Ireland and Wales, many students take a foundation course in art and design before starting their degree course. Typical entry requirements are five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), and sometimes an A level/H grade or BTEC national diploma. There is sometimes a minimum starting age of 17 or 18.

For degree courses, students generally need a minimum of two A levels/three H grades and five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), or equivalent qualifications. Degree courses normally last three years (or four years in Scotland).
For BTEC national diplomas, candidates usually need four GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3). For HNCs/HNDs they need one A level/two H grades, including in an art and design subject, or a BTEC national certificate/diploma in a relevant subject, or equivalent qualifications.

Postgraduate degrees and diplomas are also available. Entry is usually with a first degree in an appropriate subject.
For all courses, applicants are usually expected to have a portfolio of their own art and design work. Any internships or relevant work experience, whether paid or voluntary, may also be advantageous.

D&AD runs advertising workshops that can be a useful way of developing skills and a portfolio of work, meeting like-minded people and making useful contacts. These are held in London, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Entry for adults

The advertising industry is dominated by young people, with around 80 per cent of agency staff aged below 40.
Mature students may be accepted on to art and design degree courses without the usual entry qualifications if they have a good portfolio of art and design work. They may prepare for a degree by taking an Access course.

Training

Training is normally in-house, under the supervision of more experienced colleagues. Attending external courses on specific areas, such as presentation skills or television advertising, may also be encouraged.

Some agencies may require entrants to take the IPA foundation certificate, which is an online course culminating in a two-hour exam. It is designed to give an overview of advertising and the specific roles within the industry.
D&AD runs a programme for creative professionals called Workout. The course is suitable for people working in advertising at all levels.

Advertising art directors are expected to keep their skills and knowledge current by staying up to date with industry trends and standards.

Getting on

Movement between agencies is common. Experienced art directors may choose to specialise in one area of advertising, such as trade advertisements.

It is possible to progress to senior art director or creative director, while some art directors set up their own agencies. Others decide to use the skills they have learnt in other creative fields, such as design or film production.
Some successful art directors are able to work on a freelance basis.

There may be opportunities to work abroad with international agencies.